The state Agricultural Land Preservation Board Thursday added an additional 1,926 acres on 26 farms in 16 counties to the state’s nation-leading Farmland Preservation Program during its June board meeting.

Since the program began in 1988, federal, state, county and local governments have invested more than $1.3 billion to preserve 522,545 acres on 4,977 farms in 57 counties for future agricultural production.

“Preserving farmland protects our vital natural resources, ensuring that we have the land needed to help maintain a stable food supply,” said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “The growth of this program is exciting, and I am extremely proud that we are anticipating the preservation of our 5,000th farm this summer.”

The board preserved farms in 16 counties: Adams, Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Chester, Cumberland, Franklin, Lancaster, Lehigh, Mercer, Montgomery, Northampton, Schuylkill, Tioga, Union and York.

The Pennsylvania Agricultural Conservation Easement Purchase Program identifies properties and slows the loss of prime farmland to nonagricultural uses.

It enables state, county and local governments to purchase conservation easements, also called development rights, from owners of quality farmland.

For more information, visit Agriculture’s Farmland Preservation Program webpage.

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